The gait used by the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) during swimming
In January 2005, using swimming goggles in a backyard pool, I observed underwater the swimming gait used by an adult male individual of Canis familiaris (Belgian shepherd breed), weighing about 30 kg.
The feet moved in the following sequence: left fore (lf), left hind (lh), right fore (rf), right hind (rh).
This is similar to the walking gait of the same individual during walking, in that one foot moves at a time. However, the sequence differs.
If a quadruped locomotes by moving one foot at a time, there are six possible sequences, viz.
- lh, lf, rh, rf;
- lh, rf, rh, lf (which is the one I observed when this dog swam);
- lh, rh, lf, rf;
- lh, rh, rf, lf;
- lh, lf, rf, rh; or
- lh, rf, lf, rh.
The swimming gait did not resemblea 'cross-walk', i.e. it was not a diagonal gait.
One way to look at this is that the dog leads with a fore foot when doggy-paddling, whereas it leads with a hind foot when walking.
In both cases, the next foot to move is the other foot on the same side. This is understandable because, in walking, the task is one of propulsion, and the hind leg acts as the main propellor, whereas the fore acts mainly as a prop and lever, supporting the heavy forequarters.
In swimming, the task is one of traction, the foot dragging the body forwards. So, the precedence of the fore foot is expected.
Seen this way, walking means pushing off with left hind, then securing the position with left fore, before pushing off with right hind in turn, and securing the new position with right fore.
By contrast, swimming means pulling with right fore, and then pulling with right hind to follow, before pulling with left fore in turn, and pulling with left hind to follow.
Shortly afterwards, I found footage of Elephas maximus (adult male) swimming in clear sea water in the Andaman Islands (https://www.uwphotographyguide.com/rajan-swimming-elephant).
This showed that the swimming gait is basically an irregular diagonal gait, different from the ambling walk/run on land.
In this individual of the Asian elephant, the main feet providing power while swimming are the fore feet, which dangle low in the water in this weightless state.
The hind feet do not seem to stroke regularly as the fore feet do. However, when both move, the general pattern is similar to that of a cross-walk, or a trot.
Please see https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5433199/Underwater-pictures-ELEPHANT-swim.html and https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/swimming-elephants and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cl4GM_Wch0.
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